Angel Olsen: Forgiven/Forgotten

November 15, 2013

We’ve heard Angel Olsen explore gritty terrain before, as far back as 2010’s punk-rock vision of Kevin Coyne and Dagmar Krause with Will Oldham and as recent as this year’s “Sweet Dreams” single. But the direction of her latest cut still comes as a welcome surprise, given the breakout success of last year’s still raw yet more subdued, folk-leaning set, Half Way Home. Tracing things back to her solo-at-home debut, Strange Cacti, Olsen’s arrangements have become progressively more fleshed out over the past few years, with “Forgiven/Forgotten” being the most densely packed and tightly wound to date. Capped off by a tense, guitar-driven caterwaul in its final peaking moments, we can’t wait, as always, for her next unexpected turn. This track arrives on the Burn Your Fire for No Witness LP, due out on February 18th via Dead Oceans.